INTERNATIONAL. A major travel trends report produced by travel data analyst ForwardKeys has identified the key destinations to watch in 2024 – the Middle East and Africa and South America.
The 2023 Global Travel Trends Report, released today, examines the emerging patterns of global tourism and evolving traveller behaviour that shaped the industry during 2023.
This year has marked a significant milestone, it noted, as many destinations and travel businesses are still focused on recovering from the impact of COVID-19,
While the speed of recovery varies by region, it is expected to be complete by the end of 2024, even for countries that recently lifted travel restrictions.
In 2022, the Caribbean and Southern Europe were the most popular destinations, as pent-up demand for ‘sun and beach destinations boosted international tourist arrivals. In 2023, however, more diverse travel patterns emerge.
The Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Greece maintain high positions, but the mix is more varied overall, with the Middle East and Africa (MEA) well-represented among the top performers.
This year, Colombia ranks second, surpassing 2019 levels for international tourist arrivals by 5%. This marks a return to growth and a considerable outperformance compared to its peer destinations in South America. This growth is attributable to the country’s improving reputation for tourist safety, paired with relatively high affordability and substantial connectivity improvements.
The key trend identified in 2023 is the rise of urban tourism, a trend which had changed from the previous two years when there was a clear preference for sun and beach destinations, the report identified.
The picture changed in 2023 when tourism to urban destinations was on the rise – with growth of 52% over 2022 levels, significantly outpacing sun and beach destinations, which had a 26% growth over the same period.
Despite extreme temperatures, wildfires and floods due to climate change in summer 2023, the report found such factors did “not have a significant impact on travel patterns.”
Nevertheless, climate change is expected to have a long-term effect on travel preferences. As temperatures rise, summer demand in hotter destinations is likely to decrease, while cooler regions will become more appealing to travellers.
The Asia Pacific region has witnessed a faster recovery in demand for luxurious travel experiences compared to regular travel.
This suggests, despite cost of living concerns, consumers are still willing to pay more for high-end travel experiences.
Other trends are the return of family group travel where three to five passengers travel together. This has seen the fastest recovery across all regions, particularly in the Americas, where it has already surpassed pre-Covid 2019 levels.
ForwardKeys VP of Insights Olivier Ponti said: “In 2023, many destinations and travel businesses remained focused on recovery post-COVID-19. The speed of that recovery has varied by region, but by the end of 2024, it will be complete, even for those countries that lifted travel restrictions most recently.
“This brings destinations back to the issues they were dealing with pre-pandemic. Where do they want to go with tourism? What type of tourism? For what purpose? But while the questions persist, the context has changed, shaped by geopolitical events, technological advances, and rising concerns about sustainability.”
Noting that “growth at all costs” is no longer viable, he added: “Destinations and travel businesses need to focus on new models of tourism which are socially, economically, and environmentally responsible. In this context, access to accurate, timely and granular travel data is invaluable to success. ✈
